CARICOM SUMMIT: Transparent elections needed for Haiti

Jamaica Observer

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for “transparent and credible” presidential elections in Haiti later this year.

“The upcoming November elections will also be fundamental for ensuring Haiti’s democratic future. It is essential that they are transparent and credible,” said Ban, the first UN Secretary General to address the Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders at their annual summit.

He said that the UN is working with its international partners to support the electoral effort in the French-speaking nation and was grateful for Caricom’s support in that regard.

He said that the recovery will take many years adding that “promises will not feed the people of Haiti…”

President Rene Préval has announced November 28 as the date for presidential and legislative elections and also issued a decree mandating the Caricom country’s nine-member Provisional Electoral Council to prepare for the presidential elections.

The upcoming general elections are likely to cost US$44 million and last month, delegates attending a donor’s summit in the Dominican Republic discussed ways to finance the elections.

The Haitian president said that he was thankful to Caricom for the support shown to Haiti since the catastrophic earthquake.